theres loads of digital tracks that meet that description, but isn't he post techstep really? more a part of the ill-fated "rave revival" stymied by the refusal to slow down from their funkless 180 bpm speed. doesn't matter what rave stabs people nick if its too fucking fast.

but i rate digital in a way that i don't with most contemporary dnb artists. b-boyism is a fucking mental track.

theres loads of digital tracks that meet that description, but isn't he post techstep really? more a part of the ill-fated "rave revival" stymied by the refusal to slow down from their funkless 180 bpm speed. doesn't matter what rave stabs people nick if its too fucking fast.

There's quite a big difference between the no u-turn sound and the later 98-2000 stuff from the likes of Konflict, Bad Co. etc...I think they are very different beasts.

The best stuff from 97, pre-Wormhole, like Mad Different Methods had this very abstract, angular flow and a really dangerous poise/attitude. Wormhole was an excellent album, still is, but it sent everyone off down this linear, streamlined path in terms of the groove...and a few months later you get the Nine from Bad Co and the legions of clones that ruined the sound to a large degree at that time.

There's quite a big difference between the no u-turn sound and the later 98-2000 stuff from the likes of Konflict, Bad Co. etc...I think they are very different beasts.

The best stuff from 97, pre-Wormhole, like Mad Different Methods had this very abstract, angular flow and a really dangerous poise/attitude. Wormhole was an excellent album, still is, but it sent everyone off down this linear, streamlined path in terms of the groove...and a few months later you get the Nine from Bad Co and the legions of clones that ruined the sound to a large degree at that time.

I agree with this, there is a difference between techstep and what has been called neurofunk (don't like the name, but I guess it describes what's going on, think it comes from reynolds?) Ed Rush and Optical really changed the whole direction of the music with the early virus releases and the wormhole lp. Pretty soon the scene was filled with copycats and then Bad Company came along, the funk and groove got lost and harder than thou macho attitude with plenty of midrange action took over.

not a big techstep head myself (got into dnb through wormhole mainly) but would recommend all the no u turn stuff and saigon the sublabel, a lot of technical itch and dom & roland on moving shadow from around 95-97, some of the emotif/sour stuff from that time and the early renegade hardware stuff (right up to and perhaps including the quantum mechanics compilation)

as for neurofunk the first two ed rush and optical lps, wormhole and creeps, and pretty much everything they did together up until that point. The first matrix lp, Sleepwalk, is awesome, one of my favourite dnb lp's and there is alot of good stuff on his label Metro. the Clockwork lp by Stakka and Skynet, and maybe the early bad company stuff and the armageddon compilation on renegade hardware.